Thanks Paul, I don't need more days like today!
I welded two silences to the down pipes, one is skew-wiff, I have had to take the manifolds back off, like Michael told me I would because the studs securing the down pipes have almost no threads left. In the process I broke two drills and one tap, in the hole... I smashed it to pieces to get it out.
I drilled one stud out last week and re-tapped the hole but it had been repaired with a hellicoil, and it started to unravel so I had to take it out and re thread for a new insert, fortunately I have an M8 Re-Coil set and some inserts! So I ended up drilling out the remaining 5 studs and tapping them out. Three with new hellicoils, three I managed to salvage the original threads. I have fitted the exhausts back to the manifolds with stainless Cap Screws, I'm not sure it's a wonderful idea but if I loosen them and re-tighten every six months or so they should be OK, even fit new bolts from time to time perhaps? I have used plenty of Copper Slip, so they should stay free, I hope.
I will have to apply some heat to the exhaust in the morning to try to get the silencer pointing more in the right direction. I started the engine after I fitted the first silencers, it's still loud, but not so loud as it was with open exhausts. I may tack some tail pipes onto the silencers to see if that quietens it down any, if not I have a couple more silencers waiting... I got a good deal at the breakers this morning. Five silencers for the price of four, they normally charge a fiver for a silencer, I got five for twenty quid, not sure what I will do with the fifth silencer but I am sure it will come in for something.
The engine sounds fabulous, so responsive, I am sure I am going to enjoy driving it! In fact I did drive it a few inches this afternoon, the clutch is dragging a bit but I am hoping it will improve with use. I have to pump the clutch pedal to engage a gear. My master cylinder is a bit suspect, but it may sort itself gradually.
Will try to get some pix tomorrow, am feeling a lot better after my sickness bug.
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